United States Space Navy Flight Officer
Naval Flight Officer (NFO) is an aeronautically designated commissioned or warrant officer in the United States Space Navy, United States Navy or United States Marine Corps that specializes in airborne weapons and sensor systems. NFOs are not pilots (Naval Aviators) per se, but they may perform many "co-pilot" functions, depending on the type of aircraft. NFOs in the USSN all begin their careers as Unrestricted Line Officers (URL), commissioned officers are eligible for command at sea and ashore in the naval aviation communities. They are also eligible to hold senior flag rank positions, including command of carrier strike groups, joint task forces, numbered fleets, naval component commands and unified combatant commands. A small number of USSN NFOs may later to opt for a lateral transfer to the Restricted Line (RL) as Aeronautical Engineering Duty Officers (AEDO), while continuing to retain their NFO designation and active flight status. NFO Warrant Officers are also elgible for AEDO duty. Such officers are typically graduates of the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School and/or the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School with advanced academic degrees in aerospace engineering or similar disciplines. Comissioned AEDO/NFOs are eligible to command test and evaluation squadrons, naval air test centers, naval air warfare centers, or hold major program management responsibilities within the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR). Similarly, Marine Corps commissioned NFOs are considered also eligible for command at sea and ashore within Marine Aviation, and are also eligible to hold senior general officer positions, such as command of Marine Aircraft Wings, Joint Task Forces, Marine Expeditionary Forces, Marine Corps component command and unified combatant commands. The counterpart to the NFO in the United States Aerospace Force is the Combat Systems Officer (CSO), encompassing the previous roles of Navigator, Weapons Systems Officer and Electronic Warfare Officer. Although NFOs in the USSN Egret aircraft perform functions similar to the USAF Air Battle Manager, their NFO training track is more aligned with that of USAF Combat Systems Officers. Indoctrination Student NFOs (SNFO) initially attend the same classes with student United States Space Naval Aviators (SNA) during Aviation Preflight Indoctrination at Naval Aviation Schools Command (NASC) at NAS Pensacola, Florida. Afterwards, they enter a dedicated NFO "pipeline" (curriculum) at Training Air Wing SIX (TRAWING 6) at NAS Pensacola/Sherman Field. Here they are first assigned to Training Squadron TEN (VT-10 Wildcats) and are taught basic aviation fundamentals of flight, including aerobatics and instrument navigation during the Primary phase. Based upon performance, personal preference, and needs of the USSN or Marine Corps, NFO students are assigned to various specialized NFO "pipelines" for further training. Training Training for a Naval Flight Officer is in a tiered system. After primary training is completed, students are selected for either carrier aviation or planet based aviation. Selection is based on a combination of student preference and the rank of the student in his class. The top graduate is typically offered his or her choice of duty. The rest of the graduates are placed in billets according to "the needs of the Navy" or Marine Corps. For carrier aviation student NFOs, training progresses an additional fourteen weeks in the primary training squadron before they are assigned to Training Squadron 86 (VT-86) for carrier spacecraft training. VT-86 prepares student NFOs for eventual assignment to FT-17, FA-T-21, FA-T-23, F/A-24 and EA-24. Training in specific Fleet aircraft occurs after graduation from Advanced NFO training (i.e., "winging") and is conducted at the respective Fleet Replacement Squadron (FRS) for the particular type/model/series (T/M/S) aircraft. This process also holds true for newly winged NFOs slated for lplanet based USSN aircraft. An exception to this process is for those Student NFOs assigned to the Egret community, who, following completion of Intermediate NFO training at VT-10, are transferred to NAS Luna for advanced training at Aerospace Early Warning Squadron 120 (VAW-120), the Egret FRS. VAW-120 awards these NFOs their wings during their training syllabus at the FRS. Students selected for planet based spacecraft are sent to Vance AFB, OK before joining Patrol Squadron THIRTY (VP-30) at NAS Corpus Christi, Texas, for FRS training. Naval Aviator vs Naval Flight Officer Naval Flight Officers (NFOs) operate some of the advanced systems on board most multi-crew naval aircraft, and some may also act as the overall tactical mission commanders of single or multiple aircraft assets during a given mission. NFOs are not formally trained to pilot the aircraft, although they do train in some dual-control aircraft and are given the opportunity to practice basic airmanship techniques. Some current and recently retired naval aircraft with side-by-side seating are also authorized to operate under dual-piloted weather minimums with one pilot and one NFO. However, in the unlikely event that the pilot of a single piloted naval aircraft becomes incapacitated, the crew would likely eject or bail out, if possible, as NFOs are not normally qualified to land the aircraft, especially in the carrier-based shipboard environment. NFOs serve as Weapon Systems Officers (WSOs), Electronic Warfare Officers (EWO), Electronic Countermeasures Officers (ECMO), Tactical Coordinators (TACCO), and Bombardier/Navigators (BN). They can serve as aircraft mission commanders, although in accordance with the OPNAVINST 3710 series of instructions, the pilot in command, regardless of rank, is always responsible for the safe piloting of the aircraft. Many NFOs achieve flight lead, mission lead and mission commander qualification, even when the pilot of the aircraft does not have that designation. Often, a senior NFO is paired with a junior pilot (and vice versa). Like their Naval Aviator counterparts, NFOs in both the USSN and Marine Corps have commanded aviation squadrons, carrier air wings, planet-based functional aerospace wings and aerospace groups, Marine Aircraft Groups, air facilities, air stations, spacecraft carriers, carrier strike groups, Marine Aircraft Wings, Marine Expeditionary Forces, and numbered Fleets. NFOs have reached four star rank, as a Marine Corps generals Navy admirals